Longtime cutman Jacob ‘Stitch’ Duran was released by the UFC yesterday. Duran says it was because of his comments he made about Reebok, saying that he lost all of his sponsorship money and that they didn’t even work with the cutmen when developing their new vests.
Needless to say, the MMA world did not react kindly when the news hit. Fans called for boycotts and change, while fighters weren’t very pleased either. Check out what some of them had to say!
https://twitter.com/NateDiaz209/status/623725968578990080
Dang, @StitchDuran, big ups for your bravery in speaking your mind…sorry to hear about how it all played out…
— TheOnceAndFutureKing (@BensonHenderson) July 22, 2015
https://twitter.com/dylanthevillian/status/623717974378065926
https://twitter.com/flashmma/status/623711738844721152
let's all show some profile pic love to @StitchDuran!
— Charmaine Tweet (@notsosweetmma) July 22, 2015
I'm always behind, but just heard about Stitch. Don't have a bad thing to say about him. Hope he's back keeping us fighters healthy, soon!
— Sarah Kaufman (@mmasarah) July 22, 2015
@ColbyCovMMA @timsylviamma @MMAFighting making a deal with Reebok is a business decision, firing a guy for expressing his opinion isn't
— Will Brooks (@ILLxWillBrooks) July 22, 2015
Thats messed up, having an opinion now gets you fired. He should of blamed it on the coco so he could keep his… http://t.co/REgdVlmTPR
— Miguel Angel Torres (@MiguelTorresMMA) July 22, 2015
So sad 2 see this happen. @StitchDuran is a great and proud man & I love him to death. He's the best of the best https://t.co/pQBO2K9L00
— Big John McCarthy (@JohnMcCarthyMMA) July 22, 2015
Sooo disappointed to hear about @StitchDuran !! He's the man and was my go to guy. Wrapped me for all my championship fights!
— Chris Weidman (@chrisweidman) July 22, 2015
Damn I can't believe it @StitchDuran were family vato, aqui estamos para lo que sea….
— Efrain Escudero (@effyescudero) July 22, 2015
FREE STITCH
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) July 22, 2015
Unfortunate someone can get fired for having an opinion.
— John Alessio (@johnalessio79) July 22, 2015
So it's freedom of speech in America but not in the @ufc fucking criminals @StitchDuran u will be missed we had some great times
— Tim Sylvia (@timsylviamma) July 22, 2015
BJ Penn, Matt Hughes, & Frank Trigg Talk Fighting… Eachother — EPIC! – AMAZING! – MUST WATCH!